The Beginning of the End
by Painted Sky
Summary: [Sequel to Next to Nothing]In the midst of Xemnas on the loose, a missing Keyblade weilder, and the return of my lost love, I had restored my being at last. But what will I be required to sacrifice when the time finally comes for the final battle?


**A/N: And I'm back once again, ready for action! Time for story numero threeo, at last! No telling how long this story will be, but it's going to be an exciting ride, let me tell you.**

**If you didn't pay attention to the summary (that's ok, I don't pay much attention to them, either), this story is the sequel to Next to Nothing, which is the sequel to the Savage Nymph. And because there's a pretty good chance that you haven't read either of those, I would recommend you do so, and then come back to this one. **

**Thank you for your time!**

**On the off chance anyone actually read this, of course. ;)**

**The Beginning of the End:**

**Prologue:**

This couldn't be happening.

Larissa was dead, Avery was unconscious, and Xemnas had disappeared.

So where was I?

* * *

I had watched Xemnas teleport away after he ran down the halls to my room, but he didn't take me with him, and I had no idea where he went.

"They'll come looking for you, Catássa." He had said, panting. He was shaking too, but I didn't quite know why, at the time. Later, I found out he had killed my best friend. "They'll come looking for me, but I will not be here." I had sat on my bed, a book still open in my lap, still unaware of the fact that I needed to run, and slip into hiding as quickly as possible. I stared at him blankly for a moment, not quite comprehending what wasn't being said. "You need to leave, Catássa."

"Why?" I asked. I simply couldn't get my mind wrapped around the concept that I had to leave the castle. That place had become my second home, since Starlight fell. Xemnas sighed.

"It seems that I will have to break ties with you to get you to leave the castle. My own mistake, really, it was done for your own good to begin with, but it seems my good deeds have caught up with me once again. Goodbye, Catássa, and good luck with your brother." He looked me hard in the eye. It seemed like his great orange eyes were strangling me, grabbing me by the neck, forcing the air out of my lungs, and then, everything relaxed as he snapped his fingers. I began to breathe again, but he had teleported away. All of a sudden, a thought struck me.

Xemnas had abandoned me. Larissa and Avery were in trouble, and it was my fault, wasn't it? I threw my book down, my mind and body full of panic, and ran. I knew where they were. They were in Vexen's lab, weren't they? I slowed my footsteps as I approached, not quite sure of what I would find there.

The first thing I saw was blood. Unlike Larissa, I have never been able to stand the sight of blood. It was seeping in a pool out the door way, and I considered turning back, as nausea filled my mind as well. But now I knew that there was trouble. I was tortured in those few seconds it took to walk from the hall to the door. Someone in Vexen's lab was badly injured, probably dead, and it was something that I, Catássa, could have prevented. If only I had been strong enough, could I have saved—

Larissa was the injured one, I discovered, as I inched my head inside the doorway. She was bleeding profusely from a wound just below her heart, and a bloody kunai lay discarded on the floor not too far away from her. And she was there, in the arms of my brother, her blood a nastily dramatic contrast to the white tile. I watched for a few seconds as he held his hands over her, in what appeared to be an attempt to heal the wound, but he passed out, right there, right before my eyes.

I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. My body, my mind, seemed frozen and numb. I wanted to shout for help, but I knew that this was the land of Nobodies, and no one would come to my aide. I wanted to save her myself, but I knew it was too late. But still, I wanted to try. I walked over to her, and examined her a little closer. Her face, relaxed and expressionless, seemed far too pale and far too ashen to be hers at all, really. I located the wound instantly, and did what I knew best. I summoned the light, the magic, the warmth from somewhere inside of me, and I sealed her wound. I wanted to cry, but I didn't have the time. Before Avery woke up, I had to get out of there. I couldn't bear to face him, knowing that I could have saved Larissa.

I ran.

I don't know if I portaled out of there or I simply ran until I couldn't any longer, but somehow, I escaped.

* * *

Larissa is dead, Avery is unconscious, and Xemnas has disappeared.

But where, exactly, am I?


End file.
